The Wearsiders have won three out of four games on home soil since Martin O’Neill took over at the beginning of December to breathe new life into what was threatening to become a miserable campaign.

Black Cats fans will be hoping their side can maintain their unbeaten home record under O’Neill when near-neighbours Middlesbrough visit the Stadium of Light in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Sunderland have not reached the fifth round since they went all the way to the semi-finals in 2004, but frontman Sessegnon says they will be favourites to beat Championship high-fliers Boro and reach the last 16 this time round – and should set their sights even higher.

Sessegnon, who won the French Cup two years ago with Paris Saint-Germain, said: “The cup provides something different and we have ambitions to get to the next round, particularly with this tie being at home.

“We must continue this run of form and why cannot we have the goal of winning a cup?

“It will be a difficult game against one of our local rivals.

“It is a derby so you have to be focused on it and there will be a lot of attention this week.

“It is one of those matches you know are a bit different.

“However, it is one you look forward to and I hope we can get the right derby result in front of our own supporters.”

Benin international Sessegnon has been in excellent form for Sunderland this season and at the weekend weighed in with his fifth goal of the season – a stunning strike which set the Black Cats on their way to a 2-0 home win over Swansea City.

Sunderland’s second goal came from substitute Craig Gardner and was equally eye-catching, continuing a trend for spectacular strikes under O’Neill’s reign which has also seen midfielders Seb Larsson and David Vaughan grab their share of the glory.

Sessegnon added: “There is a lot of confidence in the team at the moment, which is why we are trying shots like that.

“It was a super strike from Craig because it made sure we won the game.

“I cannot shout about my goal too much because both goals were good.

“There have been some really good goals recently. Seb Larsson has scored a few and Craig’s against Swansea, so I don’t know where mine ranks.

“The ball arrived and I took the chance to have a shot. I should have had a second in the second half with my head when it went just wide.

“I just hope to continue helping us finding the net and winning games.”